Today in his effort to counter the Iran deal, Netanyahu called the US part of the “Axis,” a naked reference to Nazi Germany and its allies in World War 2. “The Iran-Lausanne-Yemen axis is very dangerous to humanity and it must be stopped.”
Three soldiers come up to the minibus holding rifles out before them, and a boy of 10 sitting next to you who you’ve never met before jams himself into your side and clutches your arm, saying “I scared.” The soldiers examine all the papers and wave you on. You wonder what this boy has seen that he was so terrified.
Are we approaching a tipping point in US public opinion on Israel? The VA bar association cancels a trip to the country because of objections to its “discriminatory” practices, while support for Israel is likely to be a major issue in a race between MD congresspeople Chris Van Hollen and Donna Edwards for Senate.
Jeb Bush throws his father’s best friend Jim Baker under the bus, and Scott Walker says he’ll undo an Iran deal if he becomes president. What’s the Republicans’ game? The Adelson primary. Though the media won’t tell you so.
As the Iran talks go to the wire, we can only marvel at the political fireworks we are seeing. Newsweek follows up on the the Wall Street Journal report that Israel was spying on the US talks and leaking details to friendly members of congress. “I’m betting there are going to be some willing leakers now about stories such as AIPAC’s operations against Congress,” a former US intelligence operative predicts.
Amira Hass says Oslo’s failed promise includes the hope of resolving the conflicting histories of the conflict; Palestinians were ready to accept Zionists as not just colonialists, but escapees from Europe.
The Missouri History Museum canceled a presentation on Ferguson and Palestine after being pressured by a local Jewish group to remove the Palestine part, emails released by Jewish Voice for Peace disclose.
The Adelson primary is afoot! The race among Republican presidential hopefuls to get money from the leading backer of Republican candidates, Sheldon Adelson. Jeb Bush says Obama is anonymously insulting Israeli leaders. “This is no way to treat an ally.”
Israeli PM Netanyahu’s dismissal of the two-state solution in the last days of the election campaign in Israel is having a huge and beneficial effect on the discussion of the conflict inside the United States. President Obama has taken Netanyahu at his word and says there will be no two-state solution for “several years.” He seems to be doing what many on the US left are doing: preparing Americans to think about what one state looks like.
Rightwing Jewish supporters of Israel came out for a Ted Cruz fundraiser last night in NY, helping him to raise $500,000 on the day he announced for the presidency. Cruz takes an “unapologetic” stance in support of Israel.